This Oregon Family Store Made $32,000 After Selling a $3.2 Million Winning Ticket

A family-owned store in Prineville, Oregon just had a very good week, and it did not have to buy a single ticket to do it. R & R Grocery and Sporting Goods earned a $32,000 bonus from the Oregon Lottery for selling a $3.2 million Megabucks winning ticket in the June 6 drawing.

According to KOIN, owners Debi and Dennis Morton have run the store for four years, and they said it is the biggest win they have been a part of.

"I've been telling regulars, it's our turn," said Debi Morton. "So now, I'm telling everyone we're going to concentrate on Scratch-its because we're due for a big win there. I really believe that I manifested this."

R & R Grocery and Sporting Goods. Image Source: Google Maps

The store wins too, not just the player

Here is the part a lot of people do not realize: when a shop sells a big jackpot winner, the shop gets paid too. Oregon, like most states, hands the selling retailer a bonus, usually around 1% of the prize, which is exactly how a $3.2 million ticket turns into a $32,000 payday for the store. We explain that arrangement in how lottery retailers get paid. For a small family store, that is a real windfall.

The Mortons said they shared some of the bonus with their employees, made a donation, and are putting the rest toward business expenses.

The winner stayed anonymous

The person who actually won the $3.2 million is from Prineville and chose not to be identified, something Oregon allows. So the store news and information is out in the public while the winner keeps a low profile.

"Our goal is to make sure when people come to our store, they are happy when they leave," she said. "If that's with $3.2 million, then so be it."

Not a bad outcome for a store that did nothing more than sell a ticket. And if Debi Morton's hunch about the store's luck holds up, Prineville might be back in the headlines. Oregon players can see the state's current scratch-offs on our Oregon page.

Sources

KOIN: Prineville store gets $30,000 bonus after selling winning lottery ticket